


Always in the Background

by Hollenka99



Series: TLoJJ-Verse [8]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Autumn, Broken Bones, Charity stream, Coming Out, Gen, Implied/Referenced Racism, Implied/Referenced discrimination, Implied/Referenced poverty, Marriage Proposal, TeamTrees, Trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-04 22:42:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21205277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollenka99/pseuds/Hollenka99
Summary: Six times trees have been in the background of a Jackson's life. And one time a McLoughlin attempts to help keep trees around.





	Always in the Background

The world is transforming into a red and golden beauty when Jameson is born. In fact, he will state that October is his favourite month. Not because of his birthday but because of the trees. No matter his age, whether his 5th or 45th birthday is approaching, he adores how gorgeous autumn can be. All because of the trees.

March 1895

He and Olive are 7 and 6 years old respectively when they sneak off to Reversing Falls Bridge. It's simply the two of them as they cycle. Mabel is suffering from influenza and their parents refuse to let anyone near her for fear of the infection spreading. Their father and Harvey are at work while Clifford is responsible for keeping an eye on his younger siblings. Clearly, his eyes had been on Pearl more than them. The two of them test how far they can fling branches off the bridge. Jameson comes close but his sister has the better arm. It was pitiful really, 10 whole months more than her to practise yet he'd wasted them on learning to crawl. Well, she was the rightful winner. They'll have to tell their parents to get her candy. When they had money to spare on such luxuries and weren't stressed about sick children, that is. Olive coughs a concerning amount throughout the duration of their outing. Jameson is only a day behind her. But it's fine. Right now, they're just two siblings, standing on a bridge that is surrounded by dormant nature. The trees lining the river oversee the memory that has not yet turned bittersweet.

February 1909

How many times have they walked in Central Park? This was the first place they had agreed to meet all the way back in December 1906. The amount of strolls he's taken with his hand in hers was countless. This park didn't witness their first kiss but it sure had overseen its fair share of the subsequent ones. He discreetly pats his pocket when Siobhan's attention strays for a moment. It's St Valentine's Day and Central Park is a familiar backdrop to their relationship. She has no reason to suspect him. Why is he fretting so much about this then? Best get on with it. Besides, they're approaching a bench. Feign fatigue, allow her to sit down first then... alter their relationship for better or for worse. Siobhan is puzzled when he begins signing his speech. The longer he goes on, the more an anticipatory smile grows on her face. No, no, no, don't react yet. He's been planning all this since August. Please let him sign his speech in its entirety. He strains his useless vocal chords to ask the crucial question. Immediately, she leaps up and covers his mouth, scolding him without malice for using it. Then she gives him the answer he'd been praying for. A chilly February breeze allows branches to applaud the ecstatic couple.

August 1925

The redwoods were a pretty breed of tree. Pretty lacking in climbable branches too. That wasn't going to stop Sophia though. With her two little brothers to encourage her, she could take on one of these trees without a doubt. Who cares about her dress? If it couldn't be washed properly, she had others. Alright, so her attempts weren't particularly fruitful yet. Anthony's finally hunted them down which only gave them an earful. Maybe he'll be nice enough to let her stand on his shoulders. He complies after much wearing down. That branch is just out of reach from this new platform. She's going to have to jump. Sophia tricks the eldest of her siblings by telling him she needs to shift her stance. Anthony doesn't have time to react before she launches herself to the target branch. Her dress' condition is the least of anyone's concern when she lands. Frantic yelling and pained sobs accompany the rush in Anthony's hold to their parents. It's not the best way to end a holiday. At least this will lead to her being introduced to her lifelong passion of carpentry.

July 1934

The hills seem to be a good place to do this, in Oliver's mind anyway. Him and Winston. Winston and him. This is the one person he looks forward to seeing outside of his family whenever they made the journey to Canada. Yet here he is, trusting that very person with his illegal secret. He begs Winston to never breathe a word of this to anyone. Or think of him differently after this. Sure, he says he promises but is he just saying that because- A sob is stifled as his best friend's hand is felt on Oliver's shoulder. Why is he so worried? Winston is trustworthy and it's not like the trees will tell anyone either. If things go south, well, Winston's friendship was another thing to leave behind in his childhood before heading to college later this year. Not that he wants to do so. Oliver comes out with the truth. Wait, 'me too'? What did he mean, 'me too'?! Winston laughs at his bewilderment. At least he knew he had someone who understood. Dear God, Winston understood. He's even calling Ollie a dummy for thinking he'd react badly. Weeping with relief as the chest he is pressed against shakes with humour is an odd sensation. Odd but infinitely better than what he'd been expecting to get out of this secret meeting.

May 1956

Jennifer and Matthew Jackson are innocently playing in the park when a stranger approaches them. She declares her son won't be interacting with abominations such as themselves a second longer. Daddy shows up to defend them and the two adults argue. Terminology they are beginning to be far too familiar with, despite being only 6 and 4 years old, is tossed around. The woman throws a comment in about how their Grandpop may have tended to keep to himself but at least he had been respectable. Daddy really hates being compared to Grandpop like that. He lets her know Grandpop had had more open-mindedness in his little toe than she would ever possess. They leave the park with promises they can choose a toy each on the way home. His grip on their hands tells them one of these days he won't be able to maintain such a reasonable tone. There is nothing wrong with them, Daddy swears. The trees agree.

April 1981

Sophia waves her son off as his car disappears down the street. It had been wonderful to see baby Melinda. That aside, now she was alone again, she had a project to pursue. How was she going to go about this? It couldn't be too big. This present had to get to Ireland as well as fit in Nora's house. She inspects a photograph she has with her sister and brother-in-law. Potential ways she could sculpt the couple's features materialise in her mind's eye. The proportions are soon mapped and the wood necessary gathered in preparation. She goes over how she imagined the final result. Without further ado, she sets off on the task at hand. As she crafts her gift, she thinks of enticing Theodora and her children to visit by promising they could help with replanting the trees. They'd love that, for sure.

October 2019

Sean checked the audio and camera to ensure they were working properly. Yep, everything seemed to be in order. Tiltify and his merch site were running smoothly for the time being. There was that child's tree costume he'd accidentally bought, waiting to be worn for a donation boost. Whelp, it was two o'clock. Time to stream indefinitely and hopefully get at least 150,000 trees planted. Let's kill it like the community helped him do every month.


End file.
